Cliffy B Says Xbox One DRM Reversal Was Because Of Sony, Not The Whiners

Instead of traveling to Tibet for seven years, visiting the Dalai Lama, learning exotic recipes from Algerian culture, gaining insightful wisdom from shaolin monks in China, scaling the mountains of Bhutan, or most importantly, learning a thing or two from a New York City mime about silence, Cliffy B has decided to speak out against the vocal majority.

After rallying to the defense of Electronic Arts after they were appointed by Reddit as “scumbags” (which turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy thanks to Simcity's always-on DRM), defending on-disc DLC and later defending the anti-consumer services of the Xbox One, Cliffy B (real name Clifford Bleszinski), is now shouting at the top of his lungs from the confines of retirement to any and all who would be willing to listen. Unfortunately, we heeded the call.

MCVUK spotted the Tweets from the former lead designer for Epic Games; an individual who we used to consider bright and inspired has now fallen into a state of mind that some might consider delusional, but perhaps there are some out there who actually agree with Cliffy? He responded to the recent Microsoft DRM policy reversal, saying...

“Sony forced Microsoft's hand, not the internet whining,” ... “At the end of the day many hardcore dislike what was attempted. You can't do well in that space with many of your core unhappy. Especially when users have a choice. The nature of capitalism encourages competition and Sony played into that.”

“Brace yourselves. More tacked on multiplayer and DLC are coming,” ... “You're also about to see available microtransactions skyrocket. HATS FOR EVERYONE. You're going to see digital versions of your favourite games with added features and content to lure you to digital over disc based.

“I have seen the number of unique gamer tags vs actual sales numbers and it ain't pretty. More studios WILL close and you'll see more PC and mobile games. I want developers who worked their asses off to see money on every copy of their game that is sold instead of Gamestop. Fuck me, right?”

I've got to remember to count to ten and keep the blood pressure in check. Breathe... breathe.

Nintendo actually had an indirect rebuttal to Clifford's above comments when the COO of the company, Reggie Fils-Aime, also known as Big Reggie, came out to say that if you make great games then you don't have to worry about used games.

Now, I've already done an extensive piece refuting the ridiculousness of Clifford's claims regarding the used game market killing off main-stay retail. However, it should be noted that the amount of DLC will increase regardless of whether Microsoft followed through with the Xbox One DRM or not. As noted in the rebuttal piece, DLC sales and revenue have been climbing annually at an adoption rate of about 30%, so it's not as if publishers would be putting less DLC in their games if Microsoft's DRM plans had gone through.

With pre-owned retail sales slowly declining, I don't know why Bleszinski continues to hold on to the misinformed and inaccurate belief that somehow a walled-garden of content and fewer consumer options would drive prices down and drive sales up?

It's also just goofy bringing PC ports into the equation as a bad thing, which in itself is hilarious because PC piracy during the first half of the last gen was what all major publishers were complaining about, just the same as people like Cliffy B are now complaining about used game sales.

Heck, just last year Ubisoft got caught with their pants down when it was found out that their numbers for claiming 95% of PC gamers were pirates was actually bogus, but they were using that excuse to drive their own DRM measures to control the market just the same as Microsoft was using their own DRM measures in an attempt to control the market. However, it still panned out for Ubisoft when they opened their own digital store known as Uplay after apologizing to PC gamers.

Apparently Cliffy is also too busy showing off his Lamborghini and trying to get in the good graces of Michael Bay types, to note that cutting off ways for gamers to buy, trade and sell games does not increase marketplace valuation, especially when fewer gamers are buying games. How does a shrinking market with a smaller pool of consumers help the industry?

Anyway, I have to tip my hat off to you gamers for sticking to your guns. For making the pre-order numbers sway the position of Microsoft and for speaking with your wallets and your voices by dictating that you would not stand for having your rights stripped away from you.

That Amazon poll really showcased the heart and soul of the global gaming community, so even if Cliffy B supports measures that will kill the industry that made him famous, gamers will continue to support the avenues that keeps the hobby alive and maintains the integrity of its historical relevance.

Thank you readers, consumers and gamers for proving the trolls wrong and becoming the vocal majority that keeps the traditional forms of gaming alive for everyone the world around... at least for one more generation.